Not building a firm base before upping the ante is definitely one of those. For example, this is the time of the NFL Combine, and so there’s all kinds of really cool videos of future NFL athletes doing crazy training floating around.

A goal without a plan isn’t really a goal, it’s a wish. Most people spend too much time in the “wish” area and ultimately are unsatisfied because they never really nail down what they’re trying to accomplish. In this episode I’m going to fix that!

This episode is the podcast version of the seminar I did for Relentless Members at the gym about Goal Setting, minus the pauses for writing time that we took throughout that workshop.

Now, Yogi is famous for his quotes, which are often quirky, but there’s a lot of wisdom there, too.

One of the most important things in this whole fitness journey is to set a goal that you’re shooting for. If you don’t, then chances are it won’t be long before you wane from the path. New habits are hard. Adults don’t tend to create them easily and if it’s something that’s going to be a departure from your current life, as adopting a healthier, more fit lifestyle probably is, then it’s not always going to be easy.

So, the first thing we’d want to accomplish is figuring out basically where you want to go and WHY you want to do it. That why is up to you, of course, but if you don’t have a clear sense of that then it is going to be hard to be consistent once the new excitement wears off.

Step 1: Figure out a sense of where you want to go and really zero in on the WHY.

Now, once you’ve got those two basic points down, I like to firm up goals with clients with something called “backwards chaining”, which is a fancy way to say we start at the end and work our way back. Continue reading

This past weekend I was at a business conference. In a lot of ways, business and fitness run parallel. Both require hard work, consistent discipline, and while there’s a lot of flashy stuff out there, there’s also a lot of pretty proven paths to success.

Of course, when you get a bunch of fitness or business people in a room, in this case, fitness business people, you here a lot of talk about “what’s working”. There’s always new ideas being thrown around. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and want to shake everything up or jump onto a new, shiny program.

Is that really what you need, though?

Maybe yes, maybe not.

Should you change your path?
WHEN should you change your path?
What’s the biggest secret to success that nobody seems to talk about?

I picked up some really great lessons and reminders about those questions this past weekend, and they were definitely not the ones that I expected.

How often do you hear someone say “So and So is lucky!” or “That was a lucky break for you!”?

Now, there’s definitely some examples of luck or good coincidence, but when it comes from people being “lucky” in fitness, business, and many other facets of life, I’ve found that there’s usually something a lot more to it than a simple alignment of stars and planets, or whatever.

I was listening to a Real Estate Podcast (BiggerPockets) and one of the guests had an acronym for LUCK that I had never heard before.

The Be Relentless Podcast is back! I’m excited to get back behind the mic and start it up again. As you may see, I’ve decided to mix everything onto a single website, the primary Relentless Strength Training site. If you’d like to go back and listen to old episodes of the podcast (which I’d appreciate) then you can get them on iTunes OR on the original Be Relentless Podcast website, which isn’t going anywhere.

On to today’s episode! (and yes, I know this is a Monday podcast coming out on a Tuesday, but technical issues…)

Problem-Centered Thought or Relentless Solution Focus…

Which one governs your life?

If you’re like most people, that’s Problem-Centered Thought (PCT). Dr. Jason Selk, author of “Exective Toughness”, instead would have you focus on a Relentless Solution Focus (RSF).

At Relentless, and not just because of the name, we have made this a cornerstone of our Relentless Mindset program. If you’re looking to start turning the ship around, even if it’s inch-by-inch, then you need to be focused on your RSF.

Links Mentioned:

Looking for a simple, easy-to-follow flow chart to design your own Relentless-style workouts, for free?

The hard part about having such a loyal and long-lasting gym family is that eventually life changes and people move. So sometimes you lose great members because of a job change, relocation, etc.

Unfortunately, that recently happened with Keith. He joined up with us several months ago and immediately brought a fire and personality to the gym like no other. I’ve often said that the best part about Relentless is the soul of the community, and nobody latched right on to that like Keith.

We’re sorry to see him go, but wish him well on his new ventures!

Name:
Keith Wieland

How would you describe your situation before joining, and what did you want to change?
Getting older and realizing I was deconditioned. Desire to feel better, move better and improve my psyche.

What were you most apprehensive about?
My apprehension was mostly fear of failure.

What is one of the first things you noticed after starting?
That the staff were all very helpful and engaged even during the busiest times. Friendly banter was a great motivator for me personally. The “ribbing” was essential to my progression, Isaac, Rob and Patrick are masters of this art form.

Would you take a second to describe how you are now and what’s changed?
My motivation to stay fit has changed for life I believe. When I reflect on where I was when I started compared to now it’s surreal. The few days before I left town I actually had the gumption to challenge the 405 DL club. Though I didn’t get there I was glad to have even considered the challenge.

What would you say to anyone who was thinking of joining?
Just get after it and join Relentless!! You won’t regret it. I’ve been going since December and wish Relentless could relocate with me. I appreciate the men and women of Relentless and the men and women that put the effort in every day. I’m grateful for my time with Isaac and the crew! Thanks for crossing paths with me. Peace.

Time for the third and final installment of the 10-Step Checklist To Build A Lean, Strong, and Healthy Body!

Building a lean, strong body doesn’t just happen in the gym and the kitchen. Today we’re going to tackle some of the “out of the gym” parts of the masterpiece-building equation. This is the often-neglected stuff that can make or break your success!